Bloodline: Hiken no Ace
by FluffySorbet
Summary: Although he hates to admit, Portgas D. Ace is the son of the famous pirate Gol D. Roger. But will he follow the same fate as his late father? As he awaits for his execution at Marineford, he thinks about his regrets in life, including a girl. AcexOC.
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer: I do NOT own One Piece  
However, I own Bonnet D. Cyan and Hoiru Island.**_

* * *

**Blackbeard and the Yami Yami no mi  
Portgas D. ****Ace****'s agony**

Ace remembered the feeling of rage spreading to the ends of his nerves, like a cancer, rapid fierce and relentless. _I must find Teach,_ he thought repeatedly, _and take his life._ This thought crammed his brain; he lost control of sanity.

So for that reason, he set off from the flagship Moby Dick to the rest of the vast ocean in search of Marshall D. Teach – the treacherous man who stole the Yami Yami no mi and committed murder under Whitebeard's nose. The very same man had once addressed to him as 'Captain'.

He must swallow the hard lump of this shameful failure under his division, although the idea of pointing the blame had never entered the Old Man's mind. Still, he needed to cross off the guilt in his own heart.

_For brother Thatch._

But now, as he kneeled on his execution platform before the presence of thousands of Marine soldiers, mighty figures and the world's media, he realised he had indeed failed. He'd failed his mother's fatal efforts to protect him, his father figure, his little brother and his very name as Fire Fist Ace. He would have never thought the moment he'd lost the fight against Teach – or 'Blackbeard' – the world was destined to fall into a pit of war and despair. Over one life, his life, many innocent souls would perish.

This was all because of one reason: Ace was the offspring of the world's once most feared pirate – Gol D. Roger. This little piece of information was leaked out, even after he had taken his mother's surname 'Portgas'. The government acted as if they were chasing up an old debt, claiming that to prevent the bloodline of a first class crook from carrying on was in protection of the world when in fact they were afraid of the slightest possibility of history replaying itself. The people's ignorance is what the world government strives to live on.

As far as Ace was concerned at this very moment, the only thing Gol D. Roger had left him was an entire life worth of debt. The former pirate king's infamous last words marked the beginning to the golden age of pirates and the government was endeavoured to end it by executing his son as a warning to the world.

Admittedly, Ace was in trouble. And the fears he tried so desperately to hide were no longer deniable as Sengoku announced _that name_ with keen resentment. Was this moment truly the last of his life? And the pitiful state he was in ought to be the last his little brother will ever see of him? And her, _I want to see her again..._

He could not bear with the agony from the thought of letting the promise he gave to this girl slip away into an empty, mere sentence. Though, he was not aware that he was about to put her through the very same pain as his biological father did to his mother: she is pregnant with his child. If Ace had known, he'd believe the only thing he'd successfully inherited from his father was the curse of not being able to fulfil his responsibility as a father.

Her name was Bonnet D. Cyan. And it was on an island in the Grand Line where she ran into him.

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_**^w^ I finally started a story about Ace!  
Chapter 1 is coming very soon and as always, reviews please :3**_


	2. Chapter One

_******Disclaimer: I do NOT own One Piece  
However, I own Bonnet D. Cyan and Hoiru Island.**_

* * *

**Hoiru! The island of peace  
Ace**** meets ****Cyan**

The island was known as the town of Hoiru* (*Hoiru, wheel) since its shape was a hollow circle, like a wheel. In the giant hollow centre of the island there was a lake, much resembling an icy lake but instead topped with a thick crystallised layer of fine-quality salt.

The island's strange climate meant both summers and winters were longer than springs and autumns. While spring and fall acted as transition periods, summer would be dry, especially around the lake but humid with salty sea air on the outskirts of the island; winter would snow excessively with savoury flakes.

Aside from the iconic lake feature, the land areas mostly consisted of hills and fields, a small percentage on the outskirts area were covered in rocks and sand.

Trees were scarce plant 'creature' in Hoiru. A tall weepy willow stands firm and solitary on the edge of a small cliff, allowing the chance to sight the spacious landscape fully. The island didn't have any solid building structure – residents preferred living in round tents that looked like little white mushrooms scattered over the grass if seen when standing on the tallest point of the cliff.

Amongst the tents, one relatively undersized tent belonged to Bonnet D. Cyan where she lived and supported herself by selling delicate hand-made jewellery and hair accessories to locals as a source of income.

It was about three months since Ace had left the Whitebeard Pirates to hunt down Marshall D. Teach. During these couple of months, he'd met his little brother after three years whilst going through seven islands, nearly had his boat destroyed three times, almost drowned twice and he still hadn't encountered Teach even once. He knew there will come a time when a man had to do certain things, even if it was to take on the responsibility of something another man did, and for a foolish purpose like restoring pride. Nonetheless, as a person who had been travelling on the sea for hours on end without a break, he was beginning to feel exhausted. Hunger had a sick habit to kick in at the most inconvenient times, too.

He had been following the log pose to reach the eighth island and after what felt like a whole day to him, an island finally came into sight. He watched as the island grew bigger in view. The water around it shimmered magnificently in the blood orange sunset.

This island was Hoiru.

In Hoiru, another autumn was fast approaching to an end and the crisp dry breezes were becoming more chilling by day. As the sun was setting, farmers were busy finishing the day's work by collecting sundried sweet potatoes from the racks. This happens every year around this time – vegetables and fruits become impossible to grow so preservation was the only way to store these necessities all through the harsh winter.

Ace's boat landed on the light sandy beach which apparently stretched all around the island like a band. He tiredly dragged the boat to shore but as he briefly explored the nearby regions, he couldn't find anywhere to temporarily hide it. Reluctant, unenthusiastic and starving, he decided to take a quick nap beside his boat.

Meanwhile, Cyan was packing up her work equipment like she would always do by sunset so she could take her daily stroll on the beach, but before leaving, she wrapped a wide scarf around her shoulders like a cape.

She hated to feel cold. As a child, she would sunbathe with lizards because she was convinced they were just like her – not cold blooded but had insufficient circulation. At the beach, she slipped out of her boots and continued walking on bare feet on the white sand. She loved both sunrise and sunset, and the feeling of fine sand between her toes.

From time to time she would feel lonely but the beach and its subtle breezes would clear her mind like whispering words in her ear. After all, she didn't have any family. The number of orphans in Hoiru was as few as the number of trees – one – and here she was.

She was raised by an old lady who was reserved on talking about her parents, and she'd passed away five years ago when Cyan was fourteen years old. She referred to her as 'Gram' and since she went to another world there wasn't any way else to obtain information.

Except there was one person.

Absentmindedly, Cyan walked, swinging her boots and listening to the sound of crashing waves. She stared at the movement of her feet in repetition as her mind was immersed in the flashback of a conversation that took place a few days ago.

"Good morning, Cyan-chan," he smiled compassionately. The village chief was the oldest living member of the community. He and Gram were close friends and since Gram passed away, he was watching over Cyan as a guardian.

"Good morning, Chief-san," Cyan replied politely.

"Is everything with you okay?" He inquired.

"Just fine," she answered and told him not to worry.

"Take care of yourself, Cyan-chan," he kindly ordered. "You know this was your Gram's last wish."

"Chief-san..." Cyan began hesitantly. "You... You wouldn't happen to know who my real parents are..."

The chief's eyes widened, clearly not prepared for such a question and in turn giving away the answer.

"You do... Chief-san, please enlighten me!" She pleaded, bowing towards him.

"Today is not the right time," he exhaled heavily, his eyes seemed troubled. "When the right time comes, I will tell you everything."

Cyan nodded in agreement – this was along the same lines of how the conversations ended time and time again for the last three years.

Suddenly something plonked down on her head, knocking her out of her trance. It then plummeted into the sand. She picked it up and realised it was a large red bead.

_How did this get here?_ She wondered while glancing around. To her surprise, she discovered that approximately a hundred metres ahead laid a body, and a dirty boat.

There were crows around his topless body, pecking and stealing scattered beads. One of the crows must have been pecking at that person's bead necklace, flew away with a bead then accidentally dropped it on her head.

Cyan tried to suppress her panic and quickened her pace towards the body. "Hello? Can you hear me?" She yelled at the young man, shaking his body vigorously. To her surprise again, he started to yawn.

"Huh?" Ace looked at Cyan, drowsy and confused. Then his stomach growled. Then a silence. "...Food."

Without thinking, Cyan knocked on Ace's head. "Baka! I thought you were dead!" As dumbfounded as Cyan was, she was still glad that he wasn't dead or injured. She let out a sigh of relief.

"Oww, I might really die if you hit me like that!" Ace whined, holding his head, not sure why he'd just been punched by a strange girl. Plus, he was _starving_.

She laughed softly, "How did you end up here?"

Ace wanted to tell her that he's a pirate though he figured he might trigger the wrong type of reaction. "I'm searching for someone," he said instead. The thought of Teach flashed through his mind and his mood darkened immediately.

Cyan noticed Ace's grimace, "Are you hurt?" She asked out of her caring nature.

"I'm okay." Ace beamed, changing the subject. "My name is Ace, what's yours?"

"Cyan," she smiled warmly. "After the colour of my hair." It was then Ace took his first good look at her. She was a very colourful girl. She had short bright blue hair in a bob cut and her heavy bangs were held neatly in place by a thin plait on its rim across her forehead, all pinned down with a bobby pin that had a shiny metallic aqua bead glued on it. The plait was the longest part of her hair and she let it hang all the way down to her chest. She also had vivid grey eyes; she was dressed in a peculiar set of custard cream colour clothes and she was wearing an ample cherry red scarf. Every colour contrasted and was accentuated to the fullest against her pale complexion.

The more he studied the colours, the hungrier he became. A gentle breeze picked up and he thought, _She smells like peaches._

"Could you show me the way to a restaurant, please," Ace half demanded and half pleaded.

"A restaurant? What's that?" Cyan blinked curiously at Ace with her watery eyes.

"It's a place that sells ready-to-eat food," he explained.

"I see." She shook her head. "There's none of that here. I guess people prefer eating in their tents."

"Oh well, I'm going to hunt for something," Ace said, thinking in any case, he _had_ to eat. He positioned his hat in its place on his head as he rose to his feet but the vacant feeling around his neck caused him to react upon the realisation that his necklace was broken. "Huh- What happened to my necklace?"

"I can fix your necklace for you," Cyan suggested, gathering the loose beads.

"You don't have to..."

"It's ok, I make these for a living," Cyan smiled and showed Ace a crowd of large circular tents before leading him through them. Then she stopped in front of a tent half the size of the rest and told him to stop by tomorrow to collect the necklace.

With that, Ace left. This island felt especially humble. There was little material wealth; no fancy restaurants or expensive shopping districts. These people depended on the basic essentials in life. Even the gusts of wind were mild and refreshing as it blew onto Ace's face. For a brief moment, he closed his eyes, allowing his mind to freeze in tranquillity as his ears were filled by the songs of wind chimes and bells.

_Teach couldn't be here,_ Ace thought. This town had nothing for his wild intentions, and it would simply cease to exist if he ever set his feet here.

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**_Ahh end of chapter one! Thanks for reading and I hope you guys enjoyed it...  
Let me know in a much appreciated review :3_**


	3. Chapter Two

_****__******Disclaimer: I do NOT own One Piece  
However, I own Bonnet D. Cyan and Hoiru Island.**_

* * *

**What is ****Cyan****'s past?  
Ace**** is concerned about a girl?**

Cyan entered through the separated door curtains of her tent and placed Ace's large red beads on her workstation for the time being. The workstation was a desk surrounded with a cupboard made up of columns of tiny drawers. There were two wooden pillars in the centre of the tent, framing the bed situated directly opposite the entrance, as did the wall which had criss-cross wooden support. She also had a suede lying sectional sofa and satin fabric curtains around her open clothes rack and chest. The floor was a jigsaw puzzle of random rugs.

She gathered some fresh clothes and headed for the bathing hut in the village. She often received complaints from the locals for taking long baths but in reality, she enjoyed a good soak because she never actually had much going on in her life. For someone who didn't know her own past, having a future seemed like a far off dream.

The general atmosphere on the island had too much peace and quiet than Cyan could stand sometimes. _Too quiet_, Cyan thought. Not the island, but in her home. The chief spent most of his life fighting to obtain peace but secretly, she often imagined an adventure outside of this circle of an island. She respected the chief's yearning for an ordinary life but she'd been quietly protesting.

The villagers wore a uniform of mat, earthy colours. They didn't have a chance in standing out against her outrageous colours. She hoped to make the chief recognise the differences in her compared to the villagers and might one day drop the bombshell about her parents.

Until then, be it an outcast, be it a rebel, the villagers can call her anything they wanted to.

Hearing small chatters outside the hut, she sighed and stepped out off the clay bath tub. Of course, where there were humans, there were the lack of peace. No matter how harmonious the village was, something bothering was preventing others from accepting friendship from her and a hunch told her it might have something to do with where she had come from.

As she walked back to her tent she discovered a frustrated Ace squatting behind a stack of hay. He was waiting for her.

He seemed like he was hiding. "What's up?" Cyan smiled, crinkling her button nose.

"I'm leaving this island," he muttered, his stomach growling still. "If you don't mind, I'd like to have my beads back."

"How come?"

_Because I really, really need to eat,_ Ace complained in his head. He didn't care about the distance to the next island.

"No luck with hunting?" Cyan smiled again.

Ace shook his head with a pout.

"Oh no," she gasped, remembering that she had in fact forgotten to tell him about a trick to hunt successfully on this island. There weren't a lot of trees in Hoiru so other than domesticated animals the only wild ones found here are ground burrowing animals because they have no other place to nest. These animals live in deep underground tunnels, which are connected, so using fire to block all except one hole forces them to escape into a trap.

"I'm getting impatient and I'm still hungry!" Ace grunted, desperate and virtually crying. He reminded himself of his cry baby of a little brother.

Cyan giggled. He looked cute. She adored his enthusiasm for food so she invited him to join her for dinner.

"I don't want to intrude on your family," he replied, amazed at her naivety. If he were a pirate with perverted intentions – or any intentions for that matter – she could be in real danger. "Besides, aren't you scared that I could be a bad guy?"

"You don't have to worry about my family – I live alone. And if you were a bad guy..." She tilted her head and grinned. "Wouldn't you have already attacked me by now?" She told him that he was in luck because she had a fresh cut of buffalo meat. He was astonished that despite what little facts she knew about him and his foreign appearance, she judged him only by his personality. She was confident and trusted her intuition.

Outside the tent, Ace observed as Cyan assembled the buffalo leg and cuts of vegetables on an old iron rotisserie, carefully spreading seasoning on the meat. He saw her struggle to start a fire with some worn out flint stones and wanted to help, though he didn't particularly fancy showing off his devil fruit skills. "I'll borrow Chief-san's." Finally she said before she was on her way.

He casually pointed at the pile of fire wood and shot out a piece of flame. Within seconds, they were dancing lively amongst the fire wood.

"Interesting." Her voice piped in from behind him. In her palms was a new pair of flint stones. She went on, "You're a very fascinating person, Ace." First he slept with crows pecking at him then despite that he nonchalantly asked for a place that sells ready-to-eat food and now the fire. "How did you get it to start? And how do you manage to not feel cold without a top on?"

A corner of his lips lifted mischievously. "It's a secret." He winked at her playfully.

"Awesome! This is so warm!" Cyan rubbed her cold hands together and ignored what she thought was Ace's cheeky attempt to act mysterious. "Let me ask you something... Where did you come from?"

"East Blue," he responded, sitting down Indian style. The buffalo was roasting well; mouth-watering aroma oozed up their nostrils. "Itadakimasu!" They chanted aloud in unison.

They chatted away as they enjoyed the delicious meal, and he began to gush without hesitation about his little brother, Luffy. There was a certain glint in his eyes that appeared with the mention of this little brother and Cyan found herself wishing to be talked about with such passion. She revealed her full name to him, telling him she wasn't sure how she obtained an odd 'D' initial because nobody else in Hoiru had it in their names. Ace realised he might have had a painful past regarding unanswered questions about his parents but this girl didn't even know about her parents. Maybe it was better for her to be oblivious of them. After all, ignorance could be bliss.

* * *

Ace wiped his mouth as he rose to his feet, "Thanks for the meal!" He grinned in pure satisfaction – after falling asleep half way through chewing due to his narcoleptic habit. Cyan was left bewildered once more.

"What's wrong with you!" She yelled and knocked him on his head. "I thought you died again!"

He didn't even flinch and apparently have disregarded the whole thing. "I'm going hunting. Would you come with me this time?"

"But. You just...never mind. Sure," she sighed. _Why not?_ "But if we're going to do this, we have to do it the Hoiru way."

Five minutes later and thanks to Cyan, Ace had two strips of red paint across his cheeks. "Now the weapon," she said as she grabbed her spear. "Let's-"

"Hey, what about your face?" He interrupted.

"What about my face?"

"Paint." He said as he rubbed some on her cheeks.

"Hey, at least try drawing something!" Cyan protested.

"I did." He stated and walked off.

Cyan looked into the mirror and saw a pair of rough red crosses. "Wait up!" She called out and rushed off to join him.

* * *

They headed out to the further corners/rims of Hoiru, on the beach where blotches of tall grass swayed in the evening breeze. The sky was darkening as a quarter moon climbed its way up in the sky.

"There're crabs here," Cyan said, carefully rustling the grass with her spear.

"Fat crabs," Ace thought out loud.

"I got one!" Excitedly, she turned around as soon as she found one, only to catch the last glimpse of his brilliance; he was putting his knife back in the sheath by his waist having already caught a bunch. "Where to next?" he asked, beaming happily.

"I see, you didn't need me after all," she said just as she spotted some potential prey in the field. "Ace," Cyan nudged him as she whispered his name. She signalled for him to keep quiet and pointed in the distance.

"Cover your eyes. No peaking until I say so." he ordered.

When she uncovered her eyes, he'd set up a camp fire and had the meat on individual sticks, spit roasting. She couldn't help but smile. She stared at him in an admirable manner, wondering how many times she had smiled since she met this charming stranger.

Ace gulped fast and was asleep at some point in the middle of eating but by now she'd grown used to it. Afterwards, she took him to the heart of the island – the salt lake, and before his hopes heightened, she told him that there were no fish. They watched as the smooth layer of salt gleamed in the moon light.

The weepy willow was nearby. Its leaves and branches all white from the salt fumes.

"A white weepy willow." Ace mentioned.

She nodded enthusiastically. "It's so tall and amazing, shame it's the only one here."

He glanced at Cyan's adorable face and he understood that she was deprived of knowledge outside of this island. He chuckled softly and said, "There're many types of trees all over the world, huge ones too, like in the mountain where I grew up."

"If I were that tall, I'd be able to see the world. But then I'll be bounded forever to one place." Cyan mumbled. She looked troubled.

"Want to try climbing it?" It was a simple little question but, it made Cyan smile. He took the initiative into the thinning leaves while she attempted to follow his lead, but her foot slipped and she fell down to the ground. She extended her arm to support her fall but due to the force, it twisted.

Ace immediately jumped down from the branch, landing next to her. "Are you alright?" He inquired in a worried tone.

"I think I've injured my wrist," Cyan winced.

"I'm so sorry," Ace said, a hint of self-blame in his voice. "I should have watched out for you."

"It's not your fault that I'm clumsy," she reassured him.

He said nothing more but took her back to the tent. Seating her on the bed he positioned her wrist on his knee and massaged it, stroking softly, afraid her fragile bones would break.

The atmosphere felt intimate and Cyan was more than aware of that as Ace touched her. She stole little sheepish glances at him, not knowing that he'd noticed too.

He felt a little bit on edge. What's the need for such emotion when it complicated situations?

He cleared his throat uneasily. The time had gone past midnight. "You should get some rest," he stated, letting go of her wrist. He planned to sleep in the open field.

* * *

In the morning, Cyan was awoken by a sharp pain in her arm. She soon learned the pain was caused by her swollen wrist. She thought of the chief and hurried out.

The chief bandaged the sprained wrist and advised her not to do any labour work or to make sudden movements. She nodded along and in the end was forced to wear an arm sling.

Returning home, she wondered about Ace. The aura around him changed drastically last night, and there was a hint of perspiration on his forehead. She hoped her lack of social skills wasn't the cause.

She more than anything wanted a drink of water, so with a bucket, she headed to the well. However once she'd lowered the bucket she was struggling to pull it back up with just one good arm. And, at perfect timing, who other than Ace was there to lend a helping hand. "Don't thank me," he remarked. "It was partly my fault that you've hurt yourself."

"You're a nice person," Cyan said, sipping water gratefully from a clay bowl.

"..." Ace hesitated, slightly taken aback and not entirely agreeing with her. "If you need help around here, I can be that help... Until your wrist is better."

"It's okay, I understand that you're not planning to stop on this island for long. But I won't be able to fix your necklace like I said," she said, mentioning towards her wrist. Honestly, she felt a little disappointed.

"Actually... I'm not sure why but I want to see you get better," he said. His voice was barely audible towards the end.

Cyan's eyes widened, she wasn't sure if she heard right. For what reason she didn't know but he meant it, right? "Um..." she began only to have her voice trail off for a useless second. "You... don't need to be so nice to me and you definitely shouldn't put your life on hold because of me."

Ace had thought long and hard last night as he lay in the field. Stars were twinkling in the cloudless night sky. A single puny firefly landed lightly on his arched knee glowing, putting the stars to shame. He realised that whether if it involved Luffy or his Old Man, he never did give his trust to anybody without putting up a fight. He must have left Cyan feeling embarrassed and a good man should at least maintain his manners in front of a girl.

_Besides, she's the one being nice to me._

"I decide what I do. I want to stay and that's final," Ace said sternly yet casually.

"Why?" Cyan said, both happy and irritated. "People here don't tend to relax and stick around when they see me. I'm afraid I might have been born with bad luck." Since she was old enough to acknowledge her surroundings, the only person who loved her unconditionally was Gram; and since Gram passed away, the possibilities of her past had been eating away at her like never before.

She wanted and _needed_ to know this, why people avoided her.

"I'm sorry," she smiled weakly at him. She felt kind of pathetic. "You must've figured that I don't usually have anyone to talk to."

"Would you believe me if I told you I came out to the sea to find an answer to a question I've always asked since I was a boy?" He beamed at her, unashamed. "I've always wanted to know if I deserved to have been born."

Cyan was stunned simply because her first impression to Ace was that he's polite, confident and well composed. Nonetheless, she decided not to fill the air with question marks. "Why would anyone not want you?" She joked only half-heartedly. "I'd kill to have you as a friend!"

He was a little beyond speechless. _What's with this girl?_ Though he felt quite relieved because he was preparing for a great deal of questions.

"Anyway," she said, standing up. "Thank you for listening to me. Why don't you make yourself at home in my tent? I won't have you sleep out in the open if you want to stay."

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**_That's it folks... Thanks for reading. I hope that wasn't too long :D  
_**_**I wonder what will happed next? Ace is awesome hehe  
Reviews please! :P**_


	4. Chapter Three

_****__******Disclaimer: I do NOT own One Piece  
However, I own Bonnet D. Cyan, Hoiru Island, Bonnet D. Silver and Jacque Knives.**_

* * *

**Wanted pirate Hiken no Ace  
The chief tells Cyan about her past**

The weather was becoming increasingly stormy, the roaring of the wind perfectly audible inside the tent.

Ace roamed in town with a wooden cart, helping Cyan collect supplies for the winter, which included a central fireplace, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and lots of meat and sake. She struggled to manoeuvre in the strong gale force, even though he was the one carrying all the stuff.

Back in the tent, Ace plonked the thick iron fireplace in-between the two pillars in the centre; he installed the chimney, poking the tip through the roof.

"Thank you so much," Cyan said, arranging the display in her cupboard.

"Didn't I make it clear that you don't need to thank me," he said, wiping away the sweat across his forehead in one swift motion.

She smiled. "Hungry?" She said, as if it needed to be stated.

"Always," he smiled his trademark crooked smile. From the cupboard she took out a glass jar, filled with the same spices she used on the meat the night before.

A little while later, his mouth was watering like a fountain.

"Is it done yet?" He asked impatiently.

She giggled as he eagerly grabbed meat and vegetables and swallowed them at lightning speed.

Meanwhile, a few neighbours were alerted by 'the eccentric new guy with tattoos' that Cyan was with, as if she alone didn't stick out like a sore thumb. They decided to notify the chief.

"Chief-san! We know it's been nearly twenty years since that incident but we can't help but think she might become a duplicate of her mother," One of the villagers reported helpfully.

"Chief-san, Please do something!" Another pleaded. "In her veins is still the blood of those demons-"

"Quiet!" the chief shouted exasperatedly. The crowd hushed. "I'd like you to leave for now, I'll work out something."

* * *

Intentionally, the chief strolled past the area near Cyan's tent in attempt to verify the situation. He saw that she and Ace were sharing small talk as they had lunch outside the tent. Ace's back tattoo caught his eye right away – a suspicion was born in his mind.

He rushed back to his tent, and he knew exactly where to look. He flipped through the pile of wanted posters and sure enough, Ace's name and face was there.

Fear throbbed across his chest as his eyes bored into the sum of Ace's bounty. He knew he needed to confront Cyan about the truth of her parents and to warn her about the ferocious pirates.

He hurried off to find her. Once he was there, Ace was asleep on the sofa so he seized the opportunity. "Cyan-chan, forgive my sudden intrusion," he heaved a sigh. "Remember what I said about telling the story of your parents when the time comes? Is now a good time for you?"

She quickly glanced at Ace before heading off to the chief's tent. Her heart beat raced. Up until now all she knew was her name. This felt almost surreal.

The chief took her back in time to when a pirate crew led by her parents docked on the shores of Hoiru. Bonnet D. Silver and Jacque Knives were the captain and vice captain of Silver Heart Pirates.

Cyan grimaced as she learned the names of her parents for the first time. He went on, "Has your Gram ever told you that she had a daughter?" She shook her head. "So I assume that she never told you that you're really in fact her granddaughter by blood."

"I am?" She said, taken aback. "Then why did she choose to hide that from me?"

"Long story," he remarked. "Yuuna and I grew up together. When we were young, I've always had one-sided feelings for her but I couldn't make up my mind about confessing until one day she fell for another man. Knives was a hot-headed child; her ambitions were wild and she dreamed every day about going out to sea. She ran away when she was sixteen and came back four years later with you, barely a month old."

"Knives came back to find Yuuna that day and brought lots of stolen gold. It was meant to be a happy reunion but Yuuna was furious and severely lectured Knives – she was ashamed of herself for allowing her daughter to turn into a selfish criminal who harmed others. Knives exploded in anger and she kept yelling "I thought you'd be proud of me!" She ordered for the crew to destroy the village. They robbed what little fortune people had and set fire to all the tents. There was no stopping them, and it all happened because she wanted to make a point against her mother's judgement." He paused to take a breath. "They never returned after that day. Yuuna found you left in a bundle in the middle of the wreckage. The villagers were grieve-stricken. The pirates were gone so they blamed Yuuna and they blamed you."

The sky had almost darkened. The atmosphere seemed to have condensed. Cyan felt awful now that she knew Hoiru was terrorised by her parents. She now understood the reason why Gram always avoided talking about her parents and why the villagers never accepted her.

Though she could hardly shed a tear.

"And they just left me here," she stated in a flat voice. The image of her parents abandoning her didn't seem to bother her in the slightest. She said sternly. "It's good that they left me here."

"Yuuna was happy they did too. She would've hated for you to be brought up and become just like her own daughter had turned out. Your parents had hearts like the silver blades they used; they were cold killers, especially your mother, people called her Demon Knives," the chief said with a frown. "Her eyes were not normal when she settled on her 'prey'."

"How?" Cyan enquired.

"Her eyes were just like yours, but they switch when she takes lives, I don't know how because I've never witnessed it personally, but I was told that she enjoyed the feel of blood on her hands." He shuddered.

"Pirates are not the type of people you want to associate with, Cyan-chan," the chief pleaded.

"Pirates? Can't say I know one," she shrugged.

"You know what I'm talking about," the chief squeezed her shoulder firmly as he presented Ace's wanted poster. "The guy you were with, he's Fire Fist Ace?"

Her eyes widened. That explained why he seemed as if he was hiding, he was considerate of her. And the fire. But he's definitely not a bad guy. "Chief-san, I'm afraid you've got it all wrong. He has no bad intentions."

"You can't trust him Cyan-chan," he stressed.

"Don't you trust me? This island saved me from my parents and gave me a life with better morals. I will _not_ let anything happen to this island. Besides," she said reassuringly, reading the big bold letters on the wanted poster. "Portgas-kun is only here to take care of me until my injury heals."

"The villagers noticed him," the chief sighed, ultimately siding with her. "I can't promise how long I can keep them hushed."

"Thank you Chief-san. I mean it. Thank you for everything." Cyan bowed respectfully.

As the evening falls, Cyan found herself wandering aimlessly amongst the empty fields. She wanted so much to know about her parents but now she was disappointed. Disappointed but calm all the same. And _Portgas D. Ace..._

That 'D' initial.

"Where have you been?" A voice said from behind her.

"Ace," she said, taken aback. "You're...the wanted pirate, Portgas D. Ace?"

Ace lowered his gaze, the rim of his hat casting unfathomable shadow around his eyes. "You found out." He smiled his trademark smile, holding the tip of his hat. "Yes, that's my name and I've eaten the Mera Mera no mi."

"Devil fruit," Cyan repeated, having heard only rumours about these fruits. "That's why they call you Fire Fist."

"Yep," Ace readied himself in a stance and lit up a ball of flames around his fist, his face wearing a mischievous toothy grin when he looked over at her. "That's why they call me Fire Fist."

"Must be nice to sail around the world so freely," she whispered as the flames reflected in her light eyes.

"Of course, it's the best feeling in the world," he said without a moment's doubt.

"Do pirates do bad things to people?" She said, more to herself than to Ace.

"That depends on their purpose," Ace said. "Pirates can have principles too."

"Hmm. I wonder what _their_ purpose was..." she said, on looking into the distance profoundly. She wanted to feel at least a little bit of resentment or bitterness towards her parents but she was unperturbed.

They began making their way back to the tent in silence. She imagined pictures of her life living with her parents. Unable to reach a solid conclusion, she confided in Ace. She filled him in on the conversation with the chief.

"To be honest, I'm glad things turned out this way."

"Why? Wouldn't you like to be with them regardless?"

"Nah! I'm probably too good for them."

A small smile crept upon Ace's lips but it quickly disappeared.

"Do you hate me now that you know I'm a pirate?" He asked. There were times he failed to read her.

Cyan smiled confidently and made full eye contact with him.

"I think pirates must be amazing..." she paused but added, "Only if they were just like you."

Those words almost made him forget how to breathe. His pace slowed down and he gazed at her shadowed back intently, as if desperate to figure her out.

As they entered the dark tent, Cyan struck a match to light up some candles and the tent lit up in a lukewarm amber glow. She drew a curtain around her dresser so she could get changed. A candle was behind the shaded screen and Ace could see the vague silhouetted outlines of her slender figure.

"Excuse me while I take a bath." She said as she emerged in a white maxi dress, wrapping her wide scarf around her shoulder frame.

Ace gestured a silent response and then she left. She treated him like a normal person and yet he couldn't remember the last time he felt this edgy. What did he expect when he decided to stay?

* * *

_****__****__****__****__********__****__****__****__**Hey guys, another chapter :3 Ace's personality is based on what I've seen in the anime. He's badass and strong but he still lives with an emotional scar.**_  
It may seem like it's taking awhile to kick off but _****__****__**I wanted to explain Cyan's background first**_.  
_**Ahhh I love the both of them already ********Őw******__****__**Ő**_  
Next chapter is coming soon~~~~  
Reviews are always welcome :DD  



	5. Chapter Four

_****__****__******Disclaimer: I do NOT own One Piece  
However, I own Bonnet D. Cyan, Hoiru Island, Bonnet D. Silver and Jacque Knives.**_

_****__****__******I wanna say a quick thank you to Arisa20. Thank you for your reviews and encouragement :)  
**_

* * *

**Cyan ****wants to see the world  
****Ace**** is confused!**

Sitting in the bath, Cyan had her knees pulled up to her chest. The freezing cold was sending sharp pains to her wrist. She was positive that she wasn't going to enjoy winter this year after her extremities had the first taste of it.

As for now, she'd rather if she brought all thoughts of her parents to an end and concentrated on the life she had. She didn't care if they'd miss her at all, because she didn't miss them.

_Portgas D. Ace,_ she thought. _What would I do when he leaves?_ This island couldn't possibly hold a future for her when the villagers still held a grudge for the misfortune that happened nearly twenty years ago.

Steam was rising visibly from her skin as she stepped out of the bath. She finished dressing and headed back. As she opened the door, a cloud of condensation hurriedly ascended and vanished into the distant atmosphere.

Back in the tent, Ace was lying on the sofa with his hat over his face and his arms folded behind his head. His legs hung lazily off the edge.

"Ace..." she began quietly.

"I'm not asleep," he said grumpily, not moving a muscle.

She left him alone and went to chuck some coal pieces into the fireplace. "Here, please do your magic."

Ace glanced in Cyan's direction from the corner of his eye. He sat up slowly, letting his hat fall softly into his lap. It felt nice to be needed.

"I want to go see the world," Cyan said, making conversation. She couldn't sit around and wait for her life to happen. She watched as he injected flames into the fireplace from the tips of his fingers before settling in front with a blanket.

"I'm happy you've decided that," he said, closing the flap and taking a seat next to her. "Does that mean you want to become a pirate?"

"I'm not sure," she shrugged. "Will I be sailing with you?"

He chuckled softly, feeling quite flattered. "I work for an enormous pirate crew. Having nakama is like being with family, and my Old Man is my captain." He said proudly.

"I'm jealous," Cyan mumbled, not sure if she envied Ace for having a close relationship with his nakama or more so his nakama for being able to be with Ace constantly. "I want to have friends like yours."

"You will, the ocean is vast," Ace said with certainty in his voice. He described the most incredible places in the world in firsthand perspective, and she fell in love with his courageous adventures, and the passion emitting from the sound of his voice as he spoke of them. "And that's why you have that tattoo?"

He lowered his gaze, his eyes concealed by the rim of his hat, and smiled with pride. "It's a symbol of loyalty to my Old Man. Even if I died, I'd die with this symbol."

"You seem to be fearless at the thought of death."

"My brother and I have a rule: to ensure we live with no regrets, that way when death catches up with us, we'd be able to face it like men."

There was a brief moment of silence. "Neh Ace," she said, watching the fire. "What does the 'D' in our names mean?"

This question caught Ace off guard. The fact was, he didn't really know either. "In my opinion," he said after thinking. "It's not something to be particularly proud of. It may even draw danger to you."

Cyan shot up from a seating position. "Fair enough me, what about you?" She exclaimed.

"I'm strong," Ace told her, bragging a little. "But you're quite defenceless."

"Because I'm a girl?" She smiled, raising her eyebrows. "Or because I don't have the power from a devil fruit like you do?"

Ace couldn't help but laugh at what she'd said. "I can't lie, that has helped but a devil fruit has got its limits and I can never swim because of that. I can use haki too, but I won't go into it." He stopped laughing and his eyes turned serious. "Enough about me, I want to ask you a question: why do you seem so sure that I'm not pretending to be nice to you to take advantage of you?"

"It's true you're a dangerous criminal but I'll accept the consequence because I don't regret meeting you at all." She said, her smile firm and her eyes stern. She knew it's because of meeting him that the chief chose to tell her, her past. Now she could finally move on.

Hearing that, a feeling began to swell deep inside Ace's heart. He could not recognise the feeling nor could he control it. This was new to him. He was impressed by her approach, perhaps because she was a 'D' carrier too.

"Okay, time for dinner," she said, rising to her feet before she was off to prepare the food.

In the tent, he was left alone again. He recalled the pressure he felt last night when the mood switched. Although he did say he'd stay until her wrist was healed, but he could see that she's more or less capable of doing things on her own.

So did he choose to stay anyway because she's misunderstood for what her parents did? In other words, because in some ways, she was just like him? Or because she never doubted him as a person despite knowing the fact that he's a wanted man? Or because she's always interested in his stories rather than his power or past?

Perhaps he felt far more comfortable in her company than he'd realised.

During dinner, the speed of air currents was increasing so they were forced to move inside the tent. Ace didn't eat up to his usual standard. He took small bites and only gave one word answers when Cyan tried to talk.

"I..." he finally said awkwardly. "I'm not hungry."

Cyan found herself startled at such a statement. She put down her food and examined Ace. The moment their eyes met, he hastily averted his line of vision. She noticed heavy perspiration on his forehead. "You must've caught a fever," she said, holding out her hand. "Let me check your temperature."

"Wait, there's no need," Ace said and felt her hand lightly graze his forehead. He freaked out a little and was so busy backing away from her hand he didn't realise they were pushing and tugging closely at each other like a pair of play-fighting children.

He couldn't comprehend with this kind of emotion. After all, he'd always been occupied with pursuing his dream before he met the Old Man that he's never thought about what it was like to pursue a girl. Up until now, he'd never come across to a girl who would say to him 'I think pirates must be amazing – only if they were just like you.'

"Wait!" He demanded. They paused. It was then Ace realised Cyan's face was inches away from his. She blinked at him.

Right now, he could feel her eyes burning into his presence, hotter than fire, as if they knew the works of magic and had casted a spell on him because his quickening pulse was far beyond his own control.

Perhaps it couldn't be so wrong to act upon his gut feeling.

He said her name in a murmur, his voice serious and his cheeks growing red from beneath his babyish freckles.

It took a moment before they realised they were about to kiss. They were both inexperienced but their impulses were irresistible and when the tips of their noses touched she could feel the heat in his breath tickling her skin.

Their lips collided. Ace wore a frown at first but it had long since dissolved. He parted his mouth and their tongues interlaced, hands were ruffling fondly through her hair while she rested hers on his bare chest and felt for herself why he didn't feel cold in this type of weather – his temperature was beyond normal – and she felt warm everywhere.

She let her body huddle into his and if he hadn't looped his arms around her tiny waist, she would have melted into a puddle of mess. Desperate for air, their lips separated for a moment but greed made them find their ways back.

The more he let the kiss deepen the more he felt a stronger desire, in the end he was almost begging for her to stop before he lost his mind. He broke the kiss, barely managing to catch his breath.

Gasping and still clinging onto Ace, Cyan dazed smiled, pleased to have had him so worked up.

He stroked her hair, carefully tucking some loose strands behind her ear, making her feel as if her insides were turning to mush. In her heart, she could hardly believe that she had only known him for such a short amount of time. She then remembered something. "Ace, you said you came here looking for someone? I wonder if I can help you find that person."

"Don't worry, he's probably not here," Ace said, not wanting the thought of Teach to kill the mood.

"Does that mean you'll be leaving soon," Cyan said, her brows furrowing faintly.

Ace seemed to have sensed the slight tension in her voice; he pulled her closer and planted a peck in her hair. "Take your time with my necklace."

* * *

The sky began to brighten. A tiny amount of light filtered through the curtain and shone into the shadows. They realised they'd been making mindless small chatters for the whole night that they didn't even know when the fire had went out. "Ace, would you come watch the sunrise with me?"

"Sure," he smiled, at the same time he reached for her hand. "You're really cold."

"Oh that's minor – I get it all the time because of my bad circulation," she smiled. "That's why I love the sun."

Side by side, they ambled to the beach in the misty morning air. She naturally leaned on his broad, sturdy shoulder as they appreciated the view of the sun emerging from above the horizon. She felt completely at ease that before he knew it, she'd fallen asleep.

Ace smiled affectionately towards her face and decided that he would stay in the sun for a little longer. This was a refreshing break from all the seemingly endless searching.

Early bird fishermen were preparing their boats for fishing trips. He carried her back to the tent by piggyback. He tucked her into bed before he yawned and realised he had forgotten his tiredness because he'd unexpectedly caved in to this unfamiliar concept overnight; he'd caved in purely to the feeling of being with Cyan.

Honestly, he did have doubts on the remote possibility for someone like him to feel this way – for someone else – and for real. But she taught him. And he was glad those crows ruined his necklace.

He decided to rest on her couch and drifted to sleep immediately as his body hit the surface.

* * *

_**Hey guys :3 I so love Ace and they finally kissed!  
I enjoyed writing this chapter hehe**__****__****__****__****__********__****__****__****__**  
**_Next chapter is coming soon~~~~  
Reviews are always welcome :DD  



	6. Chapter Five

_****__****__****__******Disclaimer: I do NOT own One Piece  
However, I own Bonnet D. Cyan, Hoiru Island, Bonnet D. Silver and Jacque Knives.**_

_**Hey my dear readers, I missed this site so much! OwO  
Sorry I took so long with the updating, I've been living at my university and busy going back and forth from home and my new place because of the summer break. Besides that, my network has mood swings... I miss my home network so much TwT  
So thank you for being patient and hope you enjoy the new chapter!**_

_**(To Arisa20 – thank you for worrying, I'm back and fine ^o^ If you have an account, I'd love to message you back!)**_

* * *

**Dangerous criminal  
Hiken no Ace admits defeat**

Ace had been awake for some time. He opened the tent curtain and stretched his stiffened body in the crisp fresh air.

It's been almost a week since he'd arrived unexpectedly in Hoiru, and after the first snow fall of the year, the weather seemed calm and clear. Already by mid-afternoon, the full moon was hanging low in the peachy afternoon sky, impatient as if the sun was taking too long to wave goodbye for the day.

A couple of clouds were floating by, dyed pink by the sunset, like candy floss.

The fields were covered in a thin layer of snow. Protruding across the plane, a few flowers were in full bloom. Dressed in pure white petals and slightly drooping from the weight of the snow, their leaves were round, like pretty much everything else on this island.

They reminded him of Cyan, and somehow without realising, he reached out to pick one.

Ace was good at making things from scratch, like the time he weaved that straw cone hat for Little Oars Jr. though Cyan was an expert at hand crafts, not to mention she had a workshop full of accessories.

_What is this_, he thought as he found himself squatting in the middle of the field, scratching his head as he frowned intently at the flower in his hand. _I guess I could give her this__?_

Surely, girls liked flowers. Right...?!

* * *

It was already late afternoon when Cyan woke up. She looked around her tent to find that she was alone.

This past week was never anything she'd have imagined. Meal times had been a blur and talking all night to Ace can be surprisingly breathtaking when half the time his lips were attached to hers. It's nice waking up to find him on the sofa not too far away from herself.

Still, she made a mental note not to get too used to this feeling.

Cyan had just finished changing out her night dress when Ace came back into the tent. To her surprise, he seemed stuck in his track.

This was the first time Ace was going to present a gift to a girl, and the feeling of disbelief that he'd chosen something as corny a flower had sunk in at the last minute. "This-" he stuttered awkwardly, holding out his arm rigidly. "-For you." He panicked, accidentally lighting the flower on fire.

A sweat blob dropped from Ace's forehead as the snow evaporated into steam. Cyan chuckled at his clumsiness.

"Hey! Don't laugh at that," he protested, blushing hysterically, though not helping. If anything, being mad only made him look more adorable and she wanted to tell him exactly that.

She couldn't resist as she reached out and pinched Ace's cheeks, her eyes glowing in a comical manner. "You're cuter even when -"

"M'm mnot coo-ute!" He declared stubbornly, in need to defend his manliness even though his voice was muffled by her squeezing his cheeks. "I can't be. I'm a pirate!"

She smiled. "Ay-ay commander," she stepped into his chest and hugged him. "Thank you."

Ace's eyes widened. He stayed quiet, watching her as she took the burnt flower and set it in a vase anyway. _I'm not cute, you are_, he smiled to himself. A smile, a mixture of hope, pain and acceptance, the expression he'd been wearing for years. He was ignoring the little voice echoing in the back of his mind, _But would you still tell me that if you knew..._

"If only you knew," he mumbled, more to himself than to her.

"Hm?" Cyan said. "What's up?"

He quickly snapped out of it. "Never mind. I'm taking a nap."

For now, as Ace began to snore lightly on her sofa, daylight was nearly over and Cyan knew that he'd be hungry soon. After all, this meal was going to be their first today.

The next thing Ace knew, he was waking up to the sweet aroma of roasted honey.

_Food__,_ he thought, drooling with the tendency to eat that smell. He stretched his limbs and moped groggily to the entrance of the tent to discover enough food to feed an entire fleet of pirates.

"I like your idea of breakfast," he said, suddenly feeling a sense of pride in having Cyan by his side. Normally he'd be planning his next dine-and-dash but he preferred it this way.

She beamed brightly as she caught sight of him. "I can do this every day if you like." And he took a seat, giving her a sleepy peck on the cheek, his body automatically slouched against hers and she felt the full weight of his arm around her shoulders. She blushed a little, handing him a piping hot cup of strawberry tea.

"I'd love that," he smiled, sipping the sweet warm liquid, though something didn't feel quite right and he could feel being stared at. "Let's eat inside," he said, standing up. "Your neighbours can see us."

She nodded, not enjoying the idea of having to hide in order to spend time with Ace. The sun was long gone when they finished eating; the temperature had dropped so drastically that when they talked, their breaths were visibly clashing with the cold air.

They went for a walk on the beach. The moonlight reflected off of the sea surface, distributing a blue-grey tint, glistening. Cyan linked her arm to Ace's, thankful that he was always warm.

"Want to head back?" he said as he felt her shiver.

"I want to stay here a little longer," she responded. He said nothing more; he enveloped her in his arms and lightly rested his chin on her head. "Ace... This island is my home. But it gives me nothing to look forward to," she said into his chest.

"I'll take you to see my crew," he said quietly. "But there's something I have to do first and I can't take you."

"That man you're looking for..." She hesitated briefly, then her doll-like features arranged beautifully into a frown. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"That's why I must find him and kill him." Ace bit his jaw, suddenly losing all sense of emotion in his voice.

"Kill him?" She said, shocked because she never imagined that side of Ace.

"Cyan, did you forget that I'm a dangerous criminal?" He joked, deliberately steering away from that topic.

"Of course not."

Yes, Portgas D. Ace was a criminal, dangerous and wanted by the world government, but she still liked him. Piracy was hardly a game though this dawning recognition won't dishearten her determination to leave Hoiru. With Ace, she felt confident and secure and, helplessly she fell for his integrity and his love for all those close to him.

And his temperature. She liked that _a lot_.

"That man must have done something unforgiveable," she said, not a single vibration of doubt in her voice.

He paused for a moment and gazed upon her, fascinated by her stern grey eyes as they stared back into his own. Then he chuckled, "You're amazing, Cyan," he said in wonderment, happily admitting defeat in front of this girl. "At this rate, the more time I spend with you, the more I feel I can't leave you... but-"

"But you have to do this. I know that," she bit her lip, despite how much she hated the thought of him leaving.

"There's no telling how long this'll take. Will you wait?" He asked, nervously, feeling the pressure in his heart as it began to race.

"Ace," she smiled weakly. "I'll wait as long as you mean to come back."

He met her eyes again, unconvinced as he searched for confirmation, as if afraid he'd heard her wrong.

"Baka," he laughed softly, hugging her tighter. "I don't have a choice, where am I going to find another girl like you?"

They made their way back to the tent just in time when suddenly a mass of black cloud loomed over the night sky like a blanket. Snow rain lightning, whirled, coating the fields in a solid layer of fog mist and lit up the atmosphere in flashes of white cracks. It seemed there'll be no chance for daybreak for a few days now.

In front of the fireplace, Ace helped Cyan change her bandage. The bruises around her wrist had practically faded and she gladly discarded the arm sling.

"Neh, I hope you know I'm taking this for real. I'll be looking forward to the day you come back." She said. "But I need to know if you'll be alright."

"I told you," he gave her a cheeky thumbs-up. "I'm strong. But if you're really worried, you can have my vivre card."

He fished out a folded piece of paper from his rucksack and tossed it to her.

"Vivre card?" She asked, baffled as she studied the plain piece of paper.

"The vivre card points to the direction of its owner," he explained. "As long as I'm alive, this card remains. Ah, my hair is getting a bit scruffy. Can you show me to the bathroom?"

She snuck him into the bathing hut so he could freshen up. By the time he came back, she was snuggled in bed, half asleep. On her dresser was his vivre card on which she had written the letters of his name.

"Hey, I'm back," Ace said in a whisper.

He sat down next to her causing her to make a soft groaning noise. He didn't want to rouse her but just as he stood up to ready for bed on the sofa, she caught him by the arm and gave a small squeeze. "Ace, don't go away," she mumbled.

He looked at her. She had her eyes closed but was still clinging onto his arm. "I'm not," he smiled before he nestled against her under the quilt.

* * *

_**All reviews are much appreciated because they are like a source of motivation, so please let me know you're thinking of Cyan :3!**_


	7. Chapter Six

_****__****__****__****__******Disclaimer: I do NOT own One Piece  
However, I own Bonnet D. Cyan, Hoiru Island, Bonnet D. Silver and Jacque Knives.**_

_**Happy New Year everyone! Have an awesome year - eat, be safe and laugh out loud! ^o^  
**_

_**Also, Happy Birthday to Ace :3**_

* * *

**Confrontation!  
A young man's resentment and a mother's regard**

The chief had spent the past hour listening to the dispute among his community.

A villager spotted Ace training in the fields in the late hours the night before. After witnessing Ace's Devil Fruit power from afar, he stumbled away in fear and warned the whole village as soon as morning came. Crowds gathered outside the chief's tent, waiting for a word of justification.

"Hmm," the chief pondered over the situation, having agreed to give Cyan the benefit of the doubt. "Perhaps we are overreacting after all."

Disapproving whispers and comments were erupting from all angles. None could believe their ears. Was the pirate brainwashing each person _one by one?_

"What are you saying, Chief-san?!" One young man stood up in defiance. Kazumi was sixteen years old, at times he didn't know wrong from right, but he could see the whole town suffering from the suspense of a pirate attack that may or may not happen and he wanted to make sure it won't.

He didn't want to live in fear. He knew that much.

"Could it be that you're saying the pirate is somehow a _good_ pirate?"

The question sounded aggravatingly spiteful but the chief sensed it had come from his concern for the village. He disregarded the blatant sarcasm and continued, "Today isn't the first day since that pirate's been here," then a look of dread furrowed his brows as he remembered Ace's bounty, "A pirate like Portgas D. Ace, I'm afraid he could've wiped out this island the moment he got here."

"And your point is?" Kazumi's tone persisted, though this time exceptionally scornful.

"My point is," the chief replied calmly, this time with more resolution. "_We_ will be in the wrong to provoke a man when he hasn't exactly bothered us in any way."

Kazumi huffed a laugh, bitterly, openly disrespecting the chief. "That sounds all fair and pretty. And we shall live with the consequence if you're wrong? Or will we be long dead? I can't sit here and wait, I have to see what this is all about!"

"No way!" The chief stated sternly.

People started to shake in fear, "You'll only be killed," they said, but not Kazumi, he couldn't understand why that was going to be the case.

He was just about to run away to find that 'dreadful' pirate when his terrified father grab held onto him.

"_Let_ me go!" he cried out, clenched his fist, desperate to be recognised. "I don't want to be a coward like all of you!"

"Keep an eye on him, I'm going to have a chat with Cyan," the chief said and then with austerity he added, "Make sure he stays away from Portgas D. Ace."

He drew in a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm. When he came to think, he started to wonder why he hadn't seen her for so many days.

* * *

Meanwhile not too far away, Ace and Cyan were enjoying having their sleeping patterns switched around, which meant they had the beach and the fields all to themselves at nightfall. Though they never thought this would spring uproar against the chief's authority and that he was on his way to Cyan, even if it meant he had to skip his beloved afternoon tea session, and supper, for that matter.

Snow rain had been falling consecutively for some days and the grass were slippery to walk on. His careful trudging footsteps came to a halt in front of Cyan's tent.

The day was quickly falling into darkness but the tent hadn't been lit up. "Excuse me," he began warily. "Are you in there, Cyan-chan?"

"Yes," came the reply. Cyan emerged from the curtain and greeted the chief politely as usual.

"I think you know why I came to talk to you," he said with a troubled sigh. The wrinkles between his brows marked his worrying nature quite distinctively.

"Chief-san," she bit her lip, disquieted by the amount of tension in the chief's eyes. "I apologise for letting you persuade the villagers. I know it must be difficult but I'll tell them myself if they'd believe me for one second – Ace is not here to hurt anyone!"

She spoke a little louder than she attempted. Desperation and adrenaline filled each thump of her heart.

"Please Chief-san, let him stay with me. He'd be gone before you'd even blink and I'm still the same Cyan. I promise! Please Chief-san, please understand how much it hurts to constantly be accused!"

There were beads of tears rolling down her flushed cheeks.

"He's... more than just a friend, isn't he?" He said, his eyes instantly softening. "I believe you, Cyan-chan. Just please don't let it get out of hand – it won't be easy to have a relationship with a pirate."

"Chief-san!" She exclaimed and dived into his chest.

"There, there. Let it out, poor child," he comforted her, knowing she was a strong-willed child who'd only shed tears when she was truly hurt. He could recall countless scenes in past times when growing up, the other children would always tease Cyan about her parents and she'd argue back to defend the mother and father she never knew, and how many times afterwards he'd find her crying late at night, alone and hidden from the village because Gram was worried sick. Though it wasn't long before that stopped happening altogether.

"This is feels awfully familiar," the chief sighed through a nostalgic smile. "You've learned to be strong." _...To hold back your tears. I know you better than you think, Cyan-chan, I've been watching you for Yuuna._

"I had to. I didn't want Gram to be upset," she smiled weakly in the chief's embrace. To Cyan, crying was almost like a state of luxury so she made sure to never take Gram's company for granted and only saving the best smiles for her to see. "Chief-san, the villagers..."

The villagers. Yes, he had to think of a solution that will keep the village at ease and still allow him to keep his promise – to look out for Cyan's best interest.

"I'll figure something to tell them," he said. "Someone saw Portgas D. Ace using his Devil Fruit power last night. They want him gone. Even if he isn't a vicious pirate, he's still a pirate. I know they've never given you a chance but I hope you can find it in your heart to understand that your parents did do terrible things to their families." Saying this, he grinned, deliberately changing the subject. "So! You've taken off the arm sling. I see he's looked after you well."

The chief winked at Cyan. He patted her head and smiled upon her like a grandfather. Instead of drying her tears she cried harder, powered by happiness and gratitude.

"Alright, dear, I have to go," he said soothingly.

"No, I can't let you go by yourself," Cyan clenched her fist and quickly wiped her face with a sleeve. She felt reluctant to make the chief pass the word again. "I think it's best if I go with you, since they won't hear you out."

While Cyan disappeared back inside the tent to change her clothes, Kazumi made his entrance into the scene by clapping condescendingly.

"How touching," his voice intruded. He smiled a caustic smile, having just managed to escape from his family to tune in to the end of the chief's conversation with Cyan. "So you're planning to lie to us, Chief-san?"

* * *

Cyan slid out of her night dress and put on her usual gear.

When she reopened her satin curtain, "I heard everything," Ace said in a flat voice. He had his hat over his face. "I don't like it that I indirectly made you cry."

She smiled at him in the dim tent. "I'm fine, you shouldn't blamed yourself-"

"I don't like the fact that because of me, they're giving you a hard time." Ace stood up, his shadow towered before her. He grabbed her by her shoulders. "Listen, Cyan..." he mumbled, cheeks flushed and tongue tied, and he gave a firm squeeze. "I didn't dare for one second to think I'll be able to have someone as perfect as you. I want nobody else, I want you to be mine, _forever_."

Cyan could feel the heat in his aura. She blushed, too. "Thank you but I'm far from perfect and I know forever is a big word but I'm ready to conquer that, with you."

"Then I can't and won't stand by while you take all this grief by yourself!"

His breathing was nothing short of heavy but hers remained reasonably calm. "Ace, you didn't hear everything, did you?" She said. "What I heard was Chief-san's encouraging words, cheering me on like a grandfather. And because of that, I don't care what the villagers think."

"Of course..." he said, obliged to cool down against reason.

Although Cyan wasn't aware of Ace's believes and insecurities of Gol D. Roger, she knew there was a shadow inside his heart because this was the first time he lost his usually collected composure. She wanted to ask him but kept quiet after the time he told her that he wondered if he should have been born.

Now that she thought about it, it sounded bizarre that a child would dare to ask himself such a question. This must be a particularly touchy matter.

"Show yourself, pirate!"

Suddenly they could hear Kazumi's voice. Like a child trying to raise a ruckus.

Cyan threw open the tent curtain. "Stop that," she demanded.

"Portgas D. Ace!" Kazumi shouted, ignoring the looks of shock on the faces of the chief and Cyan.

Ace smiled his trademark smile as he stepped out of the tent, and said, "So everyone thinks I'm here to sabotage the village," and he held Kazumi's glare with natural confidence. "Well I'm not."

"Why shall we believe you?!" Kazumi snarled.

"I don't know," Ace merely shrugged. "You ask me like I _should_ be doing something bad."

"Why you-" Kazumi growled in annoyance. He hated the way Ace spoke with such ease. And he was just about to commence his 'attack' when Cyan stepped in between him and his target.

"No! I won't let you do this," she said, loud and clear.

"Get out of my way!" He yelled. Too close to give up now.

"Oi," Ace pulled Cyan aside and stood in front of Kazumi. "I'm the pirate you want, leave her out of this."

Kazumi grinned bitterly. "Yes, this is between you and me now."

"Don't get excited, I'm not going to fight you," Ace raised his eyebrow. "That's what you want."

"How pretentious," Kazumi breathed. _How dare he talk down to me. He must think he's better than all of us!_ "You may be an excellent fighter, but it still doesn't mean I won't try to defend my home!"

The boy had courage. Even Ace couldn't deny good courage as the corner of his lip lifted slowly, "I quite admire your attitude, kid," he said, lowering his gaze.

"Kazumi," Cyan attempted to persuade. "Ace is not here to fight!"

"Isn't that what your mother said the last time she was here?" Kazumi said sharply.

"My mother," Cyan began seriously. "I can't justify for what she did but _Ace is not here to fight!_"

"Enough, Cyan," Ace said. Then he pointed at Kazumi. "You, kid, I take back what I said. _Admit _that was a low blow."

"Why should I? All pirates are the same," Kazumi grinded his teeth. "Her parents' crew took my grandparents lives!"

Ace sighed. There was no way he could talk sense into the boy though he could damage Cyan's name no further. "Go on, do what you must."

Kazumi took the offer and charged at the pirate. He swung his sword with all his might though what he saw next extinguished his rage more or less completely.

Standing at the receiving end of his strike was his mother.

Kazumi was distraught but nonetheless still angry. He glared at the chief, then Cyan and Ace.

"Don't, Kazumi," she grimaced in pain as she begged her only son. "I'm trying to protect you. No one is forcing you to fight, do you understand, Kazumi?"

Silence.

Hard stares.

"No," he uttered under his breath. Too late to quite now. Nerves lit up, angry and fast like a storm, influential and powerful like a poison. Then snapped. He looked as if he was going to lose himself.

Ace had to put him in a lock position. "If I were you, I'd listen to your mother. Your grandparents are gone but you can still save _her _- your mother!" He leaned into Kazumi's ear and whispered, "It takes a true man to admit defeat once in a while. Do the right thing, take her home."

* * *

**_Hope you've enjoyed this chapter :3 As always, Ace can't help but be awesome!  
_****_Until next time, you know reviews are always welcome...xox_**


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